


Gifts of the Sea

by teddiehtet



Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, nagi no asukara au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-01
Updated: 2018-10-01
Packaged: 2019-07-23 07:38:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16154561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teddiehtet/pseuds/teddiehtet
Summary: Ryuu had been helping out with the family business ever since he was a teenager. He had gotten used to early mornings and the sea breeze that always greeted him whenever he sailed out to catch fish for the day. Other than fish, he has also caught other small sea creatures. What he never expected was to find a beautiful person caught in his fishing net.(Day 2 of RyuuSou Week 2018)





	Gifts of the Sea

“Ah…” 

Ryuu stared at the...definitely not fish caught inside his net. He had been helping out his family with their fishing business since he was fifteen, and never, in his eight years of experience, had he pulled up a person from the sea, stuck in his fishing net. 

Large, bright purple eyes stared back at Ryuu, looking just as confused as he was. 

“Um...hello,” the man inside the net greeted. 

Ryuu quickly set down his net and crouched down to untangle the ropes. When he got closer, Ryuu noticed how the man’s skin had an iridescent glow when the sunlight beamed down on them. He raised his head and found himself face to face with the man. For the first time, Ryuu took a good look at him, and almost gasped out loud. 

With a combination of soft, snow white hair and large, bright purple eyes, Ryuu couldn’t deny that the man was beautiful. He couldn’t take his eyes off him, and it seemed like neither can the other man. 

After what seemed like hours, both Ryuu and the strange man snapped out of their reverie and turned their heads away, both sporting bright pink blushes on their cheeks. The white-haired man cleared his throat and spoke, “Thank you for freeing me.” 

“Oh, it’s my fault in the first place for...fishing you?” Ryuu apologized. 

“No no! I wasn’t paying attention, so it’s my fault.” 

Ryuu chuckled. “Well, I was the one with the net, so it’s mainly my fault.” Before the other man could retort, Ryuu continued, “I actually never thought there’d be a day where I would accidentally catch a person.” With a bright smile, Ryuu stuck out his hand. “My name’s Ryuunosuke Tsunashi. This may have been a weird first meeting, but it’s still nice to meet you.” 

The other man stared at Ryuu’s hand for a while before hesitantly grabbing it with both of his hands and shaking it. “I’m Sougo Osaka. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” 

“If you don’t mind me asking, what were you doing out so far in the sea? You don’t seem to be diving or snorkeling, and it can get dangerous this far out.” 

Sougo chose his words carefully. “I just really enjoy swimming. I’m quite used to deep waters, so I wanted to explore.” 

“You must be quite athletic. Also, do you usually go swimming in your casual clothes and not your swimwear?” Ryuu teased. 

Sougo’s mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, at a loss of words. “Sorry, I’m just kidding. You don’t have to answer that questions.” 

“I’m...also used to swimming with my everyday clothes,” Sougo mumbled. 

Ryuu laughed. “You’re a funny one, Sougo-kun.” Ryuu then stood up and went to get his bag. After rummaging around for a while, he pulled out a small towel and handed it to Sougo. “Use this to dry yourself. It’s small, but it’s better than nothing. We don’t want you catching a cold.” 

Sougo was about to say something, but then decided against it, slowly bringing the towel to his head and starting to dry it. 

“You’re a very nice person, Tsunashi-san,” Sougo commented. 

“I’m glad you think so,” Ryuu replied. “Well, since you’re already up here, I can give you a ride back to shore. Is there any specific place you want me to dock at?” 

“Um…” Sougo paused. “Wherever you usually dock is fine.” 

“Are you sure?” Ryuu asked again. Sougo nodded. “Hmm, okay then. Let me know if you change your mind along the way.” 

\-----

The next time Ryuu saw Sougo was a week later, when he was preparing to go out to the sea in the early morning. Sougo was standing at the dock in the exact same place where Ryuu dropped him off at a week earlier. 

“Good morning Tsunashi-san,” Sougo greeted, a small smile gracing his lips and a soft gaze directed at Ryuu. 

“Sougo-kun, good morning!” Ryuu beamed. Ryuu’s aware that he always says this whenever he thinks about Sougo, but the young man really is beautiful. In the background, the rays of the rising sun were starting to pierce through the clouds and the sky was painted by yellow and orange hues. The sound of the ebb and flow of the sea waves contributed to the calming atmosphere. It was as if Ryuu was staring at a painting; the morning view he was so used to suddenly seemed more breathtaking with Sougo standing in the middle. 

“Are you heading out for the day?” Sougo asked. 

Ryuu nodded. Without wasting a second, he asked, “Would you like to accompany me? That is, if you don’t have any other plans for the day.” 

“O-Oh,” Sougo stuttered. “I wouldn’t want to intrude on your work. I...just came by to give you something, as a thank you for giving me a ride back.” Sougo reached into his pocket. “It’s not much, but I when I saw it, it reminded me of you.”

He held out a closed fist to Ryuu, and gently placed the object in Ryuu’s outstretched palm. When he saw the golden pearl shining in his hand, Ryuu’s jaw dropped. “S-Sougo-kun, this is a golden pearl.” 

“It is,” Sougo agreed. “It’s really pretty isn’t it?” 

“Wh- How did you get this? These are really rare, not to mention expensive,” Ryuu sputtered. “This is too much, Sougo-kun. I can’t accept this.” 

“Mm, it’s not really that expensive where I’m from,” Sougo countered. “Please, I would rather you keep it.” 

Ryuu was pretty shocked at this point, but since Sougo insisted that he keep the gift, Ryuu decided to just accept it. “Now I’m going to have to make it up to you,” Ryuu insisted. “Hmm, this is going to be nothing compared to your gift, but how do you feel about free food?” 

“That...would be nice,” Sougo answered. “...If you don’t mind, may I still take you up on your offer to join you on the boat?” 

Ryuu happily nodded. “Of course! It would be fun to have another person on the boat. I’ve been doing this for so long, but does get a little boring sometimes, especially when I’m out there for almost the whole day. I would say that you’re actually the one doing me a favor, instead of the other way around.” 

Sougo chuckled. “I enjoyed last week’s boat ride, so it’s actually you who’s doing me a favor, Tsunashi-san.” 

The two of them continued their light conversation as Ryuu led Sougo to his boat. 

* * *

The days passed by, and Ryuu and Sougo settled into a comfortable schedule. Every morning Ryuu would meet Sougo at the dock, and the two of them would go out to the sea. Ryuu had also managed to make a simple bracelet with the pearl he received from Sougo; now, the bracelet and his wrist were inseparable.

When they went out to sea, Sougo would ask Ryuu to teach him some aspects of his job, and would end up helping Ryuu in the end, even though the brunette insisted that he didn’t need to. 

“But I want to,” Sougo had replied. 

Ryuu also couldn’t help but notice how much more alive Sougo looked out at sea compared to when they hung out on land. Whenever the sunlight hit at the right angle, Ryuu kept noticing a subtle, yet beautifully colorful shine on Sougo’s exposed skin. Ryuu couldn’t tell whether it was mere curiosity or his growing attraction to Sougo that had made him want to reach out to touch Sougo’s cheek. At one point, he almost did, but then Sougo turned to face him, and both of them froze. They both realized how close they had unconsciously shifted towards each other. Stumbling over their apologies, the two of them awkwardly stood up and pretended to do other duties on the boat. 

The sheen of light colors on Sougo’s skin didn’t leave Ryuu’s mind; he told himself that, one day, he would ask Sougo about it. Ryuu peeked over his shoulder at Sougo and admired the flush on the younger man’s cheeks.

* * *

One day, Ryuu left his house earlier than usual and was pleasantly surprised to see Sougo sitting on the walkway of the dock with his back turned to Ryuu. The corners of his lips turned up into a large smile. He was just about to call out to Sougo when he overheard him talking to...himself?

“Sou-chan, you’re staying out of water too much these days. You only ever come back late at night and leave super early.”  

“Mm, you may be right, Tamaki-kun.” 

“You’re actually agreeing--” 

“I don’t regret my decision though,” Sougo continued. “I just have to make sure to remember to swim or soak in a bathtub a few times every day to keep my ena moist.” 

“Do you even get a chance to go in water when you're on land?” 

“Well…” 

“And you scold  **me** for making rash decisions.” 

Ryuu walked closer, curious to see if Sougo was talking to another peculiar swimmer. He got close enough to see a head of blue-gray hair poking out from the water. 

“Don’t worry too much Tamaki-kun. I’ll be okay.” 

“The others are worried too y’know,” the person named Tamaki muttered in a pouty voice. “Your ena is looking drier, Sou-chan. Come home more often or else you won’t be able to come back at all.” 

Ryuu froze. What did he mean by that? Was there something holding Sougo back from going home? Ryuu wondered, where even is home for Sougo? He noticed how they never really talked about Sougo’s life. At this point, Sougo has even met Ryuu’s family and had come over for dinner multiple times. Sougo knew quite a lot about Ryuu, but Sougo remained a mystery. 

* * *

During the sail, Ryuu decided not to pry too much yet. They went about their day as usual, with Sougo helping Ryuu fish and making small talk. As the day passed, of them noticed that the summer heat was extremely hot on that particular day, so they decided to finish early and headed back at around noon. When they docked, and were preparing to leave, Ryuu looked over at Sougo. He was slightly leaning onto one of the boat’s posts, and was panting lightly. Ryuu started to get worried. Maybe Sougo wasn’t staying hydrated enough. He was just about to offer some water, when Sougo slumped to his knees, prompting Ryuu to drop his bags and rushed to Sougo’s side.

“Sougo-kun?” Ryuu pulled Sougo up so that he was in a seated position, and let Sougo lean back against him. The younger man was still panting, and just as Ryuu was about to reach over to get a water bottle, a glint caught his eye. On Sougo’s skin, there were pieces of glass-like particles that were starting to peel off. 

“Sougo-kun,” Ryuu called again. “D-Do you have a skin condition?” 

“What?” A half-conscious Sougo repeated. “No, just-- I need water.” 

“Oh right!” Ryuu reached over to grab a water bottle and opened it. He was about to tip the mouth of the bottle to Sougo’s lips, when Sougo shook his head. 

“Not drinking water,” Sougo mumbled. “Push me off the boat.” 

“What?” Ryuu almost exclaimed. “As much as I agree that the heat is unbearable, I’m not pushing you off the boat--” 

“Trust me.” 

Sougo sounded insistent, so a hesitant Ryuu set the water bottle down, helped Sougo get to his feet, and led him to the edge of the boat. Without another word, Sougo dove into the water, not even needing Ryuu to push him. 

Sougo was completely submerged in the sea. After a few minutes, Ryuu was getting worried, but soon after, Sougo broke the water’s surface.

Droplets of water clung onto Sougo’s hair, and as he exhaled, Sougo opened his eyes, staring straight at Ryuu. The brunette’s mouth fell open. In the water, Sougo was so much more beautiful. His eyes were more vibrant than they were on land, and even his skin looked healthier. Ryuu noticed how the water around Sougo shone the same iridescent colors as the glass-like particles on his skin did. 

“Are you a merman?” Ryuu asked. 

“Um, no,” Sougo denied. “I’m human. A sea human.” 

“A what?” Ryuu parroted, still gawking at how Sougo looked much more refreshed, alive, and breathtaking once he entered the water. 

“A sea human,” Sougo repeated. “We have a civilization under the sea. We were taught that some of the humans living on land know of us, but most of you don’t.” 

“...How are you able to breathe underwater? How can you withstand pressure?” All the questions Ryuu wanted to ask were now gushing out, like water out of a broken dam. 

“Do you see these pieces of ena floating around around me?” Sougo pointed out. “The ena are our protection. They cover our entire bodies, giving us the ability to utilize oxygen from the water as well as withstand high pressures.” 

Ryuu nodded. Those glass-like particles have always caught his attention, and now he knew what they were called and what their purpose was. Suddenly, he asked, “Wait, since you’re losing some of this ena, are you going to be able to go back to your home…?” 

“Oh…” Sougo muttered. “To be honest, when a sea human stays on land for too long, there is a chance that we’d lose our ena and just become land humans.”

Ryuu blinked a couple of times. “You haven’t lost all your ena, have you?” 

“I’ve lost some of it, but no, I still have some left. It was my fault too. I didn’t stay in water as much as I should have.” 

“I’m sorry if I dragged you around with me too much,” Ryuu apologized, suddenly feeling bad. 

Sougo frantically shook his head. “It’s really not your fault, Tsunashi-san. It was all mine. I was having too much fun with you.” 

“I’m glad you did,” Ryuu replied. “How come you didn’t tell me earlier? You could have stayed in the sea while I worked.” 

A blush crept up Sougo’s cheeks. “...I wanted to be with you as much as possible,” he murmured. 

A combination of Sougo’s words and blush in turn made Ryuu blush. “I...also wanted to be with you as much as I could. I really enjoyed my time with you, and I’m glad I fished you up that day.” 

Sougo ungracefully sputtered and laughed. “Learning more about land humans and being with you were the most enjoyable days of my life.” 

Balancing himself on the edge of the boat, Ryuu reached out. Sougo did as well, and both of their hands met in the middle. Ryuu held Sougo’s hand lightly and rubbed his thumb on the top of Sougo’s hand. 

“I’m happy you decided to keep visiting me. You’re amazing, Sougo-kun,” Ryuu praised. “I realized that you knew a lot about me, but I don’t know much about you. Do you think I’ll be able to see your civilization someday? Meet your family and friends?” 

“Hmm,” Sougo hummed. “I haven’t heard much about land humans coming to our cities, but if you have diving equipment, I think you’ll be able to. I would love for you to meet my friends as well.” 

“One day, then,” Ryuu promised. 

The two of them spent more time chatting about Sougo’s home and creating a future schedule that would work out for both of them. Sougo may have let Ryuu know the truth a little bit late, but Ryuu holds no grudges and was just happy that Sougo trusted and liked him enough to keep coming back on land, even braving the heat and multiple hours without being in water. 

Ryuu and Sougo’s eyes met once more. There will be good days, and there will be bad days, but in the end, what’s important to them is that they’re together and whether it be on land or sea, they’ll find a way to meet.

**Author's Note:**

> Nagi no Asukara/A Lull in the Sea was one of my favorite anime back when I was in undergrad. I really liked the idea of humans separating civilizations, with some living in the sea and some on land, so when I saw the prompt for day 2 of RyuuSou week, I thought a Nagi no Asukara AU would suit them a lot! I tried rush writing all of this while I was studying so, I’m sorry if it seems rushed and have a lot of mistakes ;; but I still hope you enjoyed reading!  
> Depending on how much work and studying I have to do for the week, I may or may not write more for RyuuSou week. I have an idea for the “shrine” prompt, but… I don’t know if I’ll have the time to write it ;w; (Hopefully I will;;;)
> 
> Feel free to follow or talk to me here or on [my twitter!](https://twitter.com/bunnymikaaa)


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